Mat



Patented May 25,1943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAT Joseph A. Rodriguez, Houston, Tex.

Application June 13, 1941, Serial No. 397,834

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a mat.

An object of the invention is to provide a mat of the character described specially designed for use in protecting the floor stu'face, or other surface, on which it is used. It is particularly useful for the purpose of protecting floors and floor coverings at points where the same are subjected to the greatest use. It may also be used for protecting vehicle fioor coverings, such as automobile carpeting and the like. The invention may also be so constructed and designed as to be very useful in protecting furniture, such as table tops, by forming a support for hot dishes or other hot utensils.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mat of the character described formed of spaced slats, preferably of wood which are secured together, but in spaced relation by means of flexible strips, forming ties, and preferably composed of reenforced rubber of sufficient flexibility to allow the mat to be rolled into a compact roll for storage or transportation but which has sufficient resistance to hold the slats firmly in spaced relation and in a common plane.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mat of the character described which is formed of light material, which may be cheaply produced and which is very durable.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of parts and use, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the mat.

Figure 2 shows an end view in partly collapsed position, and

Figure 3 shows an enlarged fragmentary sectional view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates one of a series of similar slats which are preferably formed of wood or other similar, light, durable material. These slats may be made of any selected dimensions depending on the use to which the mat is to be put and the mat may be of any selected contour, usually rectangular.

The slats are maintained in a substantially fixed and spaced relation by means of the ties 2, 2 which are preferably arranged at opposite ends of the slats. The slats have mortises at their ends to receive the tie members 2 as more clearly shown in Figure 3' and the tie members are secured in the slats by suitable nails or screws 3, Figure 3.

These tie members 2 are preferably formed of reenforced rubber, or similar material, as hereinabove indicated, which are of sufficient flexibility to allow the mat to be rolled up into small space in the manner indicated by Figure 2 but the ties 2 have suflicient resistance to firmly hold the slats spaced apart and to hold them in a common plane so that the mat will firmly rest upon the fioor, or other supporting surface, when in use.

The drawing and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A mat formed of slats spaced apart, said slats having end mortises, and tie members fitted into the mortises in the ends of the slats and secured in the slats, said tie members being formed of reenforced rubber, or the like, of sufficient rigidity to hold the slats spaced a fixed distance apart and of sufficient flexibility to permit the mat to be formed into a roll.

2. A mat formed of slats spaced apart, said slats having end mortises, and tie members fitted into the mortises in the ends of the slats, means for securing the slats to the tie members, said tie members being formed of flexible material which is reinforced to render them sufiiciently rigid to prevent the slats from moving toward each other, said tie members being sufficiently flexible to permit the mat to be formed into a roll.

JOSEPH A. RODRIGUEZ. 

